Tuesday, June 14, 2016

#PeterRidd

I have not been able to find out any details beyond what has been reported in the Oz (behind paywall), but having had a few peripheral interactions with Prof Peter Ridd over the time I was at James Cook University many years ago, I was upset to hear that he appears to have been rapped over the knuckles by his employer for making perfectly reasonable statements about the need for quality assurance in studies of the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

My letter to Vice-Chancellor Prof Sandra Harding is reproduced below:

Dear Prof Harding,

I am writing to express my dismay at the recent treatment of
Prof Peter Ridd, as reported in the media, for expressing his considered
professional opinion about issues relevant to his expertise.

As a proud graduate of James Cook University (BSc 1991, PhD
1998), I am unhappy to see such weak commitment by my alma mater to a free and
robust expression of thought.

As a practicing physical scientist (70 peer-reviewed
publications, h-index = 19), I expect anything I publish to be frankly and
fearlessly criticised if my methodology or assumptions are deficient, and would
be horrified if potential critics were to refrain from such criticism on the
grounds that it would be ‘disrespectful to my reputation’. If such a
criterion – as reported in the media as grounds for the censure of Prof Ridd –
were to be generally adopted, it would mean the death of science.

And parenthetically, as a former resident of Townsville
(1983-1998), I can remember many episodes of panic that one event or another
would lead to the death of the Reef. I vividly recall my grandfather, E/Prof
Bill Lacy (Foundation Professor of Economic Geology at James Cook University),
saying that such episodes had been a feature of life in North Queensland since
he first visited the region.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr Chris Fellows
FRACI

Associate Professor
in Chemistry

School of Science
and Technology

The University of
New England

NSW 2351

Australia

Update 17th June 2016: A reply! And a brief additional correspondence...

Dear Associate Professor Fellows

Thank you for your email to Professor Harding in relation to
this matter. Professor Harding has asked me to advise you that media reports
that a James Cook University scientist was censured for questioning the
veracity of another academic’s research are incorrect.

Any action that may be taken by the University under the JCU
Code of Conduct would be in relation to matters of personal behaviour and not
for questioning the veracity of another researcher’s science.

Media reports that the member of staff was threatened with
dismissal are also incorrect. Under the JCU Code of Conduct there is a broad
range of responses to any inappropriate behaviour, and dismissal would only be
applied for the most serious or repeat offences.

James Cook University values intellectual freedom and its
marine science is subject to the same quality assurance processes that govern
the conduct and delivery of scientific research internationally.

Kind Regards

Russ Parker

Executive Officer to the Vice Chancellor and President

James Cook University

***

Dear Mr Parker,

Thank you
for very much your response. In light of what must then be widespread
misrepresentation in the media, is a statement of clarification explaining exactly
what matters of personal behaviour were found to be inappropriate and why
publicly available anywhere?

Best regards,

Chris Fellows

***

Dear Chris

As you will understand, the specifics of any staff matter
are protected under the Information Privacy Act and we are not at liberty to
discuss them directly or make them public.